Restoring Christmas Spirit
by BurntBreadAndShinyPearls
Summary: Peeta Mellark has no one to spend Christmas with, but things take an unexpected turn when Katniss Everdeen shows up on his doorstep on the eve of Christmas. One-shot for Christmas!


_A small little one-shot for Christmas/Christmas Eve!_

_Peeta Mellark has no one to spend Christmas with, but things take an unexpected turn when Katniss Everdeen shows up on his doorstep on the eve of Christmas._

* * *

The snow falls in fat snowflakes, blanketing outside in a fine sheet of white with the orange street lights casting a glow on it. Peeta stirs his tea, the clinging of the spoon the only sound echoing through the quiet and empty house. Maybe he took it for granted, all those years of him and his brothers helping their father decorate the house and the tree with Christmas decor. He even remembers his mother being bearable during the Christmas season. It was his favourite time of the year. But Christmas hasn't held its usual cheer in years. Not with his brothers in different states across the country and his parents buried in a graveyard.

Graham and Tyler all but cut their contact from him after their parents died. Since it happened, they haven't been home since the funeral that happened after Christmas. Peeta loves his Uncle Haymitch, but the man is about as enjoyable as stale bread. And he's never home, he's either wasted at a bar or wasted at work. Peeta still hasn't figured out why Social Services allowed Haymitch custody those two years ago.

Peeta stands in the room aimlessly, looking at the spot where the tree should be. Would it be pathetic for him to set the Christmas tree up by himself? _Yes._

"Merry Christmas," he mutters to himself, allowing a moment of self-pity to wash over him. His moment is cut short when a soft knock comes from the front door, making him frown. No one in the right mind would come to his house on Christmas Eve.

Peeta sets his tea down on the table by the front door and he opens it wide, receiving an icy blow of wind as a welcome. But his chill is forgotten when his eyes land on Katniss Everdeen, with a hat and scarf bundled tightly around her neck to keep her warm.

"Katniss?" He asks after swallowing the lump in his throat. Surely he's dreaming. How many times has he imagined her standing on his doorstep? _Wake up-_

"Hi, Peeta," she says, her voice gentle yet clear. "Merry Christmas Eve."

He nods with a half-smile. "You too, Katniss."

"So, um..." Katniss peaks over him, her lips forming into a frown. "I heard you weren't doing anything tonight...and I was wondering if you'd like to come over."

Peeta blinks a few times, trying to take in what Katniss Everdeen just said to him. He has dreamed so many times of Katniss asking him to hang out...but he never thought it would actually happen. Especially on Christmas Eve.

"How'd you know?"

"You know, we do have mutual friends, Peeta," Katniss says with a half-grin tugging at her chapped lips. Peeta can't help but think of Madge, Johanna and Finnick, who clearly are the mutual friends mentioned. They've known of his crush on Katniss for years, everyone has, except for Katniss herself it seems.

"Thanks for the invite...but I wouldn't want to intrude," Peeta says, going against his inner thoughts screaming at him to take her invitation, even though it is seemingly out of pity.

"You'd be intruding if you came barging in out of the blue. Me inviting you to come is _not_ intruding. Trust me, Peeta, I'd really like for you to come over." She shivers at the end of her sentence, and it takes everything in Peeta to not slap himself. How stupid is he to not invite her in out of the cold?

"Oh God, Katniss, get in here. You must be freezing!" He ushers her inside quickly, shutting the door behind her. She pulls off her hat and scarf, her dark brown waves falling over her shoulders. Peeta imagines running his fingers through the soft locks, but only ends up disappointed when he realizes he can't.

"Where's all your Christmas spirit?" Katniss asks, but her voice is soft and cautious and Peeta has to look down.

Peeta tries to laugh. "Inside boxes in the basement."

"Well," she says slowly, unzipping her jacket and hanging it on a hook as if she'd been there on a regular basis. "If you'd like, we can go get the boxes and add a little Christmas decor."

"Um..."

"I'd love to decorate with you," she adds. "Well, _only_ if you have cookies."

Peeta actually smiles and looks up at her. "I do have cookies. But you can just take them home with you."

"I know what you're feeling, Peeta," Katniss says suddenly, pausing to bite down on her lower lip. "Christmas doesn't feel the same. The cheery songs and bright decorations are just a reminder...And I get it."

Peeta turns fully and cocks his head slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Have you never heard...Has no one ever mentioned that I lost my father when I was ten?" Now it's her turn to look away.

Peeta's stunned speechless. He assumed he knew everything about Katniss. Her favourite colour is green, she moved to the town seven years ago, she has a younger sister named Primrose, she works at the coffee shop around the corner.

"Katniss...I'm so sorry. I didn't..." He trails off, not wanting to sound like he's pitying her. He'd much rather wrap his arms around her in comfort.

"It's okay, Peeta. It's been eight years. I'm doing okay." Katniss looks up, her stare not faltering as she sets her eyes on his. "I hope it counts for saying this two years later, but I'm really sorry for your loss, Peeta."

Peeta blocks out the memories of his father, and he attempts a small smile of thanks. And the way Katniss is looking at him, with a softness in her eyes, is enough to make his smile genuine.

* * *

"We have the fake tree only," Peeta says after they each set down their boxes. His mother only allowed the fake tree, she never always said real trees were filthy and messy. But Peeta loved the smell of fresh pine, so his father always hid branches of pine and pine air fresheners in the tree.

"That's okay. Those are fun to assemble," Katniss says, bending down and opening her box with a fine layer of dust on it. "Garland over the fireplace?" She asks and holds up the green line of plastic pine weaved together with a string of lights.

"That's where it always went," Peeta says with a nod, watching her neatly set it across the mantle. He watches her, wondering why all he can do is stand and _watch. _The girl of his dreams is in his house, putting up Christmas decorations and he's not helping or flirting or even really talking. What is wrong with him? Is he too damn far in his own self-pity to even try?

"I, ah, don't have a lot of house decorations. The boxes are mainly just the tree and the ornaments." Peeta tells her, after she begins opening the rest of the boxes.

Katniss nods and stands up. Her eyes, the grey in them lighting up from the dim glow of the garland lights. Peeta knows there's no one else as beautiful as her. Not Madge or Annie or Delly, all very pretty, but they could never compare to Katniss. Her tan skin, dark wavy hair that spills over her shoulders in waves that seem too perfect to be real. Katniss seems too perfect to be real. Half the time Peeta wonders if he's dreaming her.

"Peeta?" Katniss' voice breaks through his trance, and her light tone and slight smirk reveals she has said his name more than once. A warmth spreads in across his cheeks and ventures throughout his body when her smirk turns into a soft smile. "Would you like to put up the tree, Peeta?"

Peeta bites his lip, finding himself nodding slowly. Maybe he needs to make new memories. How thrilled would his father have been if he knew Katniss was in their house, offering to spend Christmas Eve with his glum son? Peeta almost laughs out loud, knowing his father is watching down on him with a grin.

"I haven't set one of these up in a while," Katniss says, pulling the center pole out of the box. "My father tried it one year when I was seven. He hated it. I remember he took me out to the woods and we brought thermoses of hot chocolate...we sat by a big pine tree, enjoying the smell."

Peeta smiles, noticing the the glint in her eyes as she talked about her father. He enjoyed listening to her story, no matter how short it was. He never quite pictured his first meaningful conversation with Katniss Everdeen going like this, but he doesn't mind at all, he loves the contrast from their other passing greetings and small talk. He likes listening and watching her while she talks about anything. He remembers thinking that same thought during class presentations, even though she was quite and fidgety in front of the class.

"I have a story, too," Peeta says quietly, surprising himself. He starts putting the fake branches on across from Katniss, and her catches her eye above the plastic green branches. "My mother hated the real trees, they were too messy and dirty or something. But I liked the piney, woodsy smell, so my dad would hide pine air fresheners and stuff like that in our tree."

"Clever man," Katniss says with a smile. She reaches down and grabs the head of the tree and hands it to Peeta after examining the height. "I probably can't reach the top of the tree, so the honour is all yours, Peeta."

Peeta smiles and take the head of the tree and sets it at the top, the bottom sliding into the pole. "So, Katniss, do you have a favourite Christmas movie?"

A blush spreads across her cheeks and she ducks her head, something that fills Peeta with an unexpected warmth and series of flutters in his stomach. "I do. But I'm definitely not going to tell you."

"Oh, come on," Peeta says with a grin playing at his lips, feeling himself become more joyful the longer he's with Katniss. "Don't tell me it's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

"It's not, but that is one of Madge's favourites, I think." Katniss bends down and picks up the string of lights, handing one end to Peeta and they begin circling the tree.

"Seriously, what is it?" Peeta stops when he meets Katniss in the middle, raising an eyebrow at her.

Katniss rolls her eyes but sighs in defeat. "_The Christmas Shoes._"

Peeta takes a moment, the name ringing a bell. And then he remembers. The movie with Rob Lowe about a boy wanting to buy Christmas shoes for his sick mother. He also remembers Delly crying her eyes out when she forced him to watch it with her.

"Really?"

"Yeah," she admits bashfully. "I cry every time. And if you ever tell anyone, I'll have to hurt you."

Peeta laughs softly. "I certainly never want to double cross you."

"Smart decision," Katniss replies, and together they dig in the box of ornaments, hanging the balls and figurines on the branches.

They work in silence, but the smile never leaves Peeta's face. He's actually glad Katniss came and persuaded him to decorate. He catches her eyes while they decorate and she gives him soft smiles. He wonders how someone's smile can be that gorgeous.

But sometimes happiness can't last forever, and Peeta realizes that when he falters at the remaining ornaments in the box. Four lone ornaments. He grabs the three keepsake ornaments, each with the words _First Christmas. _Peeta quickly hangs them on the tree, not bothering to look. Because on each ornament, under _First Christmas_, are the names of his brothers and himself with the year written neatly by his father.

Katniss stands awkwardly by the tree, shifting from foot to foot. Peeta contemplates leaving the last ornament, making it less awkward for Katniss. But he can't. The small framed picture from two years ago. It was not even a week into December, he was sixteen, and they took their traditional family Christmas photo. His brothers were home that month from their studies, that was when they still kept in touch. Peeta, Graham and Tyler were all wearing their cheesy Christmas sweaters, standing behind their mother and father with their arms thrown over each other's shoulders in a brotherly way. Peeta can't help but notice how bright and wide his own smile was. They all looked happy, even his mother.

But then five days later, his parent's died in a car accident.

"That's a cute picture," Katniss speaks up.

Peeta sets the picture face down on the table and pushes the empty boxes against the wall. "That was a good day."

"I remember when we were fifteen and you wore that Christmas sweater on the last day of school before Winter Break. I...um, thought it was kinda cute."

Peeta quickly looks up, his heart thumping. "You...you did?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Well I'm glad for that," Peeta says quietly, a blush spreading across his cheeks and heating up the tips of his ears.

"Want to plug in the lights?" She asks, crouching down with the plug in her hands near the outlet by the tree. He nods once and breathes in just as the tree comes to life with colour.

Blue, red, green, yellow all shine brightly, lighting up the small living room. The walls are casted in an array of colours from the lights and decorations, and Peeta feels something bubble within him; _happiness. _

_"_Wow."

"I think next year we're going to have to decorate my tree together," Katniss says, coming to stand beside him. He looks down at her with a raised eyebrow. _Next year?_ She plans on hanging around him next year?

"Next year?"

Katniss nods and turns her body fully, facing him. "Unless you'd rather spend your next Christmas with someone else."

"Technically it's Christmas Eve," Peeta murmurs, smirking when she narrows her eyes. "But I wouldn't mind doing it again."

"Great," she says with another one of her dazzling smiles. "Me either."

* * *

"These cookies are amazing," Katniss mumbles next to Peeta, but her voice catches at the end, and when he looks over at her, her eyes are glued to the television screen with tears pooling.

Peeta would laugh, if it weren't for the fact that he's almost in tears and if Katniss didn't look so endearing. He breathes in and shoves another cookie in his mouth. He thought after they were done decorating the tree Katniss would leave. But she didn't. Instead she made him look on Netflix for _The Christmas Shoes_ and made herself at home on his couch. Peeta doesn't remember crying with Delly, but apparently Katniss brings out his sensitivity and compassion more so.

"Robert finally gets what he's missing," Peeta says quietly, not daring to blink for the fear of crying. But he blinks and can't help but sniffle as a tear rolls down his cheek. _Damn this movie!_

Katniss shifts beside him, her elbow hitting his arm. "Oh- Peeta, are _you_ crying?" Peeta quickly wipes at his eyes and looks over at her. Only she's laughing with tears sliding down her cheeks. "Awe, you are!"

"So are you," Peeta counters, narrowing his eyes. But ever so slowly, he reaches and gently runs his thumb under her eye, wiping away her tears. He looks into her eyes, a wave of shyness hitting him.

Katniss Everdeen is in his house. Next to him. On Christmas Eve. And he's this close to her. _Close enough to kiss,_ he thinks.

Katniss' eyes, before filled with amusement and wonder, are now guarded and nervous. And that's when Peeta realizes, with frustration and embarrassment, that he has misread and over stepped the line. Katniss clearly didn't come there for him to pull a move on her. She went out of the goodness of her heart...because she was being nice. _Stupid, stupid stupid, _Peeta tells himself over and over as he quickly pulls his hand away.

Peeta, not daring to look at her, keeps his eyes trained on the television. His luck is running short when the movie reaches its end, and he can feel her stare at the side of his head.

"I'm sorry," Peeta breathes out, though he wishes he wasn't sorry. He wishes Katniss leaned into his touch and smiled that smile she has been all night. It would be a miracle. A Christmas miracle. "That-"

Peeta's words are cut off with the firm pressure of...Katniss' lips against his. Her hands are braced against his shoulders, her knee against his thigh. _Soft_. That's what her lips are; soft. So incredibly soft. Softer than he has ever imagined.

He reciprocates the kiss, his hands blindly finding her hips and settling on them to keep her steady. To keep _him_ steady, too. But she pulls back far too soon, leaving his heart beating rapidly and his eyes spring open.

"Wha-"

"Sometimes we have to take chances," Katniss says gently, her eyes locked with him and her hands still on his shoulders. "I'm not very good at this, but...I'd like to take a chance with you."

Peeta, filled with enough joy and excitement at her words, has to blink a few times before he can fully form a coherent thought. And when he does, he begins to believe that Christmas miracles really do happen.

"Is this real?" Peeta asks quietly, not removing his stare from her. She looks so beautiful, too. With the Christmas lights glowing against the side of her face, reflecting in her grey eyes, she's mesmerizing.

"Yes," she says with a laugh, the corner of her mouth pulling up into a grin. "It's real. But don't just used to this boldness, I think it's the Christmas Spirit that's got me all, _you know._"

"So, after Christmas-"

"After Christmas, you're done for," she says seriously, then her lips quirk up at his fallen face. "Kidding, Peeta. I won't go anywhere."

Peeta's face breaks into a wide grin. "Good to know." And then before his lips meet hers in another kiss, he says, "Christmas miracles do happen.

* * *

**_Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas!_**


End file.
